Orthodontic brackets attach directly to the teeth and serve to transmit corrective forces from an orthodontic arch wire to the tooth to which the bracket is attached. When the orthodontic procedure is complete or from time to time during the course of an orthodontic regimen it may be necessary to remove the bracket from the teeth. In the past, orthodontic brackets have been made of metal material so that they could be removed with an ordinary pair of pliers. Recent developments in orthodonture have provided transparent orthodontic brackets made of brittle material such as crystalline alumina. This new kind of bracket is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,639,218 issued Jan. 29, 1987. These new kinds of transparent crystalline orthodontic brackets are often brittle so that when they are subjected to the forces necessary to remove them from the teeth to which they are attached, they might shatter.
It would be desirable to have a shield to be used with an orthodontic pliers to enclose the bracket during removal so that any pieces which may break from the bracket will be contained.